Lile and Ford homer to give the Nationals all their runs in a 5-3 victory over the Reds

WASHINGTON (AP) — Daylen Lile and Harry Ford homered for Washington, and the Nationals beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-3 on Friday night for just their second win in the last 10 games.

Eugenio Suárez, Matt McLain and Elly De La Cruz went deep for the Reds, but they were all solo shots and De La Cruz also made a crucial first-inning error at shortstop. Cincinnati lost for only the second time in eight games.

Cade Cavalli (9-5) allowed the three Cincinnati homers but managed his sixth straight quality start. He yielded seven hits and two walks in six-plus innings, striking out eight. The right-hander was pulled in the seventh after a single, a stolen base and then a slow roller that turned into another single.

Yovanny Cruz came on and got a strikeout before issuing a walk. Sal Stewart then bounced into a double play with the bases loaded. Stewart, who also hit into a double play in the fifth with runners on first and second, fired his helmet into the ground in frustration.

Orlando Ribalta worked the eighth and Clayton Beeter finished for his 12th save.

With a runner on first and one out in the first, Brady House hit a sharp grounder toward De La Cruz. The Cincinnati shortstop couldn't handle it, and instead of an inning-ending double play, the error left runners on first and third.

Lile followed with his 15th homer to give Washington a 3-0 lead.

The Reds tied it by the third. Suárez homered in the second, then McLain and De La Cruz hit back-to-back solo shots an inning later.

Ford put Washington back ahead with a two-run drive off Julian Garcia (2-3).

In a bullpen game, Chase Petty made his first start for Cincinnati since May 23. The first pitch was delayed 62 minutes due to the threat of rain.

Washington's CJ Abrams leads the major leagues with 88 RBIs, one more than Stewart. Neither drove in a run Friday.

Cincinnati's Héctor Rodríguez doubled in the fourth for his first career hit.

Nationals pitcher Zack Littell, designated for assignment earlier in the week, was given his unconditional release Friday.

All-Star Chase Burns (13-1) starts for the Reds on Saturday night against Andrew Alvarez (2-3) of the Nationals.

This story has been corrected to show Stewart grounded into his first double play in the fifth inning, not the fourth.

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Cincinnati Reds' Eugenio Suárez, right, celebrates after his solo home run as he runs by Washington Nationals third baseman Brady House during the second inning of a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli follows through during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Washington Nationals' Daylen Lile hits a three-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz commits a fielding error on a ground ball hit by Washington Nationals' Brady House during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

The Federal Aviation Administration grounded all flights nationwide Friday afternoon due to communications problems at regional air traffic control centers, an FAA notice said.

The ground stop was being imposed “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety,” according to the notice.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said a communications issue was affecting the regional air traffic control centers that direct planes between airports nationwide. He said FAA technicians are investigating.

This is the first nationwide ground stop since January 2023 when a key FAA computer system malfunctioned. Before that the last time had been after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin said there was no indication yet that “this was a nefarious attack against us. It’s just a telecommunications outage.”

Here is the latest:

The federal agency said on social media that there has been a temporary telecommunications outage.

All flights have been accounted for and international flights will be “handled on a case by case basis,” the agency said.

“There was no indication as of yet this was a nefarious attack against us,” said U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin.

All flights in the air are accounted for, he said during a news conference, adding that the public has no reason to be afraid.

The FAA’s ground stop order runs through at least 11 p.m. ET Friday.

Passengers on an American Airlines flight from Wichita to Chicago on Friday afternoon received text messages explaining the problem as “air traffic conditions in Chicago.”

The plane sat on the runway for about an hour before the captain announced the air traffic problem seemed to be nationwide, and the plane would return to the gate.

Passengers deboarded and the airline said no one would be rebooked for at least an hour.

Former United Airlines pilot and aviation expert Steve Arroyo said the problem appeared similar to a regional air traffic control communication outage in September that snarled hundreds of flights across the Northeast, except this time on a nationwide scale.

Arroyo said it could be linked to the outdated technology used by air traffic controllers.

“If you don’t have that ability, whether it’s because the old wires that they have are just run down or for whatever reason, you’ve got to stop airplanes on the ground,” said Arroyo. “And not put them in the air where you’re going to risk not being able to communicate with them.”

A key FAA computer system malfunctioned, temporarily grounding all flights nationwide and touched off a cascading air traffic jam.

Before that the last time had been after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The Federal Aviation Administration grounded all flights nationwide Friday afternoon because of communications problems at regional air traffic control centers.

The FAA notice said the ground stop was being imposed “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety.”

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said there is a communications issue affecting the 22 regional air traffic control centers that direct planes en route between airports nationwide. He said FAA technicians are investigating.

This is the first nationwide ground stop since January 2023, when a key FAA computer system malfunctioned. Before that the last time had been after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

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FILE - A Federal Aviation Administration logo is displayed in the tower at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, March 16, 2017. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)